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April 15 Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 9-10

“It was a true report that I heard.”

1 Kings 10:6

If the queen of Sheba was so astonished in the view she had of Solomon’s wisdom and riches, how much more we ought to be unceasingly astonished in the contemplation of our dear Savior, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge!

When first you heard of the Lord Jesus, when first you were constrained by the irresistible, effectual call of his Spirit to come to him for mercy, how little you knew, either of yourself or of him. You knew you were but a poor blind ignorant sinner. You knew that he was God your Savior. And that is wonderful, wonderful beyond the expression of words! Then…

His Revelation

The Lord Jesus told you all that was in your heart. He made your spirit, like this queen of Sheba’s before Solomon, to faint within you, when he showed the depth and hideousness of your sin and the great fulness of his salvation. Since that day, with every fresh discovery of your emptiness and his fulness, of your sinfulness and his holiness, of your debt and his forgiveness, of your filth and his cleansing, you are constrained to say of Christ what this woman said of Solomon. —“It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.”

His Love

“Behold, a greater than Solomon is here!” — Though we heard of Christ’s love, mercy, grace, and glory, it was not until we came to him ourselves, it was not until we trusted him for ourselves that we saw and experienced in him the wisdom and power and glory of God (Job 42:1-6; Isaiah 6:1-4; John 1:1-4). We stand amazed (Is it not so?) in the presence of our all-glorious Lord and Savior, realizing that it is impossible to put into words the riches of his grace and glory (2 Corinthians 12:2-4).

His Bounty

Truly, all who belong to Christ are blessed! O Blessed Son of God, — “Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom!” Then the queen of Sheba blessed the Lord God who delighted in Solomon, who put him on the throne of Israel to exercise judgment and mercy.

His Glory

“Behold, a greater than Solomon is here!” — The Father loves the Son and has given “all things” into his hands (John 3:35). The Father delights in the Son and gave him preeminence in all things and over all things (Proverbs 8:23-30; Matthew 3:17; Colossians 1:18). The Father made Christ the Surety, Prophet, Priest, and King of his Israel because he loved us in Christ with an everlasting love. Christ came to the earth to honor God’s law, satisfy God’s justice, to do judgment and justice in the earth that God may be just and the Justifier of all who believe on him (Romans 3:25-26).

“And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty.” — “Behold, a greater than Solomon is here!” — Our great King, the Lord Jesus Christ, receives every sinner who comes to him for grace. He gives us, not of his royal bounty, but all his royal bounty (John 17:22). He gives us all that our souls desire! — Forgiveness! — Righteousness! — Grace! — Eternal Life!

Don Fortner

Pastor Fortner’s